FUTO shut indefinitely as students protest increase in tuition fee

WHAT started like a peaceful protest, Friday, by students of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), later turned violent, as properties worth millions of naira were vandalized. The students, who were protesting an alleged increment in their tuition fee by the school management, embarked on a peaceful procession in the university, but later went violent after policemen drafted to forestall a breakdown of law and order fired teargas at the students.

The protesting students regrouped and broke into the school’s ICT Centre, carting away computers and other electronic equipments, said to be running into millions of naira. Majority of the buildings at various faculties were vandalized, but the policemen prevented the students from gaining access to the administrative block, which houses the office of the Vice Chancellor and other top management staff of the university. Some of the students who spoke with our correspondent, said, “the institution authorities have been extorting the students for a long time, especially in the sale of textbooks and handouts, which are made mandatory for all students.”

The students also disclosed, “but what caused the protest was the recent increment of the school fees by an additional N13, 000.00, which they termed as fee for IT Wireless Access. “It was supposed to be a peaceful protest and it started peacefully until the policemen came and started firing teargas at us, while some of them fired gunshots into the air. It was at that point that the students were provoked and vandalized some of the buildings.”

A security man, who pleaded anonymity, said that, “I came to work around 9am and saw a large number of students chanting and shouting, and when I asked what was happening, I was told by my HOD that they were protesting the increment of school fees and we were observing them to make sure that they did not destroy school properties until the police arrived and started shooting teargas. “It was at that point that the students went wild and started damaging anything at sight. The worst was the ICT Centre where which the completely looted and vandalized”. Meanwhile, all efforts to speak with the school management were not successful, as they were said to have left the school. But, a member of the management staff who didn’t want his name mentioned, denied that the tuition fee was increased. According to him, “the students were misinformed by some miscreants who sent out misleading report about plans by the university management to hike the fees. But the truth is that there is nothing like that.” Meanwhile, the school has been shut indefinitely.